6 Hobbies That Are Perfect For Small Apartments

By Elise Nelson on April 2, 2021

Living in a small apartment, you may feel restricted by the limited space in what you can do for fun. This can be especially frustrating during the pandemic when it’s safer to hang out at home rather than find fun out in the world with friends. Maybe you’ve already binge-watched every TV show and movie on your list. Maybe you’ve exhausted all your social media apps. Now, what the heck else are you supposed to do? The good news is that, while you may not have room for activities requiring a lot of storage space or large equipment, there’s still plenty you can do to stay entertained in a small apartment! Give one of these hobbies a try and you’ll see just how much you can really do in close quarters.

ukulele beside wooden panel bed frame and wicker basket

Image by Tatiana Syrikova via Pexels

Play video games

Video games are a fun pastime for many people. The thriving industry grew even more popular during the pandemic when people turned to video games as a form of at-home entertainment. All you need is a console, a computer, or even just your phone. The Nintendo Switch is a great console for tiny apartments because of its small size and its portability. You can either take it on the go in handheld mode or plug the dock into a television. You can even opt to buy only digital copies of games to be stored right on the console if you don’t have much physical storage space.

A video game collection can certainly add up in price since many games can be upwards of $60, so be sure to keep an eye out for sales. There are also a ton of indie games out there at low prices – sometimes even free! You can find free games on Android and iOS devices too but beware: most of them are addicting. Candy Crush, anyone?

Learn a small instrument

Whether you feel musically inclined or not, learning an instrument is a great way to stay busy. YouTube has made it easier than ever to find free lessons and tutorials. You can teach yourself to play an instrument through online tools and community support, or you can take personalized lessons. As Inc. reported, studies have found that learning an instrument changes your brain by improving memory, reading skills, and more. You can also earn a great deal of satisfaction from mastering this new hobby.

Of course, you probably won’t be able to fit a piano in your apartment or any big band instruments, but there are smaller alternatives. Ukuleles, for example, are very portable and can fit into tight spaces. Plus, they’re very easy to learn! Kalimbas, or thumb pianos, are also growing in popularity. These handheld instruments typically have up to 21 keys, played by plucking the tips with your thumbs. Kalimbas are a great miniature alternative to pianos, and you can play them anywhere – even in bed!

Catch up on reading

Curling up with a great book can really make time fly. Reading is definitely one of the more popular hobbies out there, and even just half an hour of reading a day can be really fulfilling. You can add to your hobby by setting monthly book goals, maintaining a book wishlist, and writing up your own reviews. Plus, if you want to make things more social (post-COVID, of course), you can join a book club to discuss your latest reads.

As far as storage is concerned, you can always stick to eReading on a Kindle or another tablet to avoid cluttering your apartment with piles of books. Alternatively, if you want physical reads but don’t have room for multiple bookshelves, you can store some books in closed bins and stash them away under your bed or in a closet.

woman practices yoga beside dog in apartment

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Practice yoga

When gyms are closed for most of the year because of a pandemic, what are you to do? Not everyone has room for a home gym with weights and big equipment. Thankfully, yoga is one super apartment-friendly option. All you need is a mat. Again, thanks to YouTube, there are plenty of at-home yoga workouts you can do, from absolute beginner to advanced. You can choose more toning-oriented sessions or stick to stretching. Beyond the fact that there’s no equipment necessary, there’s usually no jumping involved, so you don’t have to worry about stomping all over your downstairs neighbors. You’ll stay entertained and stay fit at the same time. Win-win.

Learn to stitch

Stitching is a crafty project that you can work on anywhere in your apartment or on the go. There are a few different types of stitching you can try, so there’s room to get experimental and find which type you enjoy most. You can try crocheting and knitting, both of which only need yarn and needles or crochet hooks. Embroidery and cross-stitching are a bit more detailed, but thread takes up even less space and you can stick to small canvases. Needlework projects take a lot of time and patience, but making your own crafts can be very rewarding.

Sketch or paint

Art is a beautiful hobby for letting your creativity shine, and it’s small-apartment-friendly. While you may not have room to craft any big sculptures or make your own pottery, you can probably get away with sketching or painting. Stock up on small paint bottles and different pencils, as well as a sketchbook. You can also pick up a few coloring books if you would prefer to fill in designs. Anyone can paint or sketch, no matter the artistic ability! You may even surprise yourself with what you can create.

There are plenty more hobbies for small apartments where that came from, and there’s something for everyone. If there’s something you really love to do but you’re finding yourself in need of a downsize, try to see how you can adapt the hobby to fit your apartment. Limited space does not have to mean limited fun!

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